This is a collection of our "WHY WE RIDE"
front page pieces we've done over the past couple of months. Unfortunately
it's not complete; I didn't start this until after I'd already done (and
discarded) maybe 10-15 of them. --Mike--

WHY
WE RIDE #31

LIVE
FROM THE TOUR DE FRANCE-

ALBERTO
CONTADOR IN FOCUS. ANDY SCHLECK FUZZY. COINCIDENCE?

Today's adventure in France took us up the Col
du Soulor/Aubisque, first stopping at the top of the Soulor for food
& drink, and then moving on to a quieter area on the
relatively-gradual climb up to the Aubisque, where there are a
couple of tunnels famous for being inhabited by cows. Thankfully, no
cows in the tunnels today, but neither are there lights, which is
why, in the picture, you see Jakob Fuglsang and Andy Schleck without
sunglasses. We took a lot of photos of cyclists exiting
from this tunnel, and an interesting thing struck home. Most of the
really gunning for something kept their glasses on. For example, in
the breakway group ahead of these guys, all but one guy (Barredos)
kept their glasses on. Including Lance. Barredos ended up
losing a few seconds because of this and had to chase to get back
on.

The other thing you'll notice is that the camera chose
to focus on Alberto Contador. Smart camera. Unless Andy does
something really spectacular (like Lance made us think could happen
today), he could end up not even being in the top-3 when the race
gets to Paris.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) is an official Tour de
France "rest" day. The riders recuperate from the savage hills they
faced today and think about the even-worse nightmare that awaits
them on Thursday- a hilltop finish atop the Tourmalet. Andy
Schleck's last opportunity to retake the Yellow Jersey and put
enough time into Contador, Sanchez and Menchov that he has a chance
at not losing everything in the final time trial on Saturday.

Our game plan? The 'Tour rest day will feature a ride (nothing
too nasty) and laundry. The weather forecast is for showers all day,
and that mightbe enough to keep us off
our bikes, we'll see. Thursday, we'll ride up the Tourmalet as far
as we can to get a good spot for watching the carnage. Kevin would
like to be at the actual top, but so would 500,000 other people!
Friday we take a train to Bordeaux and may have time to quickly
reassemble our bikes and see the stage finish, but the main point to
being in Bordeaux will be for the final time trial the next day!
Then we pack up our BikeFriday travel bikes for the last time and
take the train into Paris Sunday morning and head out to see the
finale.

Can you see the Tour de France without a bike? Yes,
but as my son (Kevin) would say, it wouldn't be the same. You
wouldn't feel the heat of the sun as it finds that spot your
sunscreen didn't cover. You wouldn't get to calculate whether you've
got enough food & water for the trip. You wouldn't get to hike a
half-mile detour across a rocky field because the Gendarme said the
road was closed and that answer was simply unacceptable. You
wouldn't experience the agony of seeing those kilometer signs go by
ever-more-slowly as the pitch gets steeper and you're 10 miles into
a 16 mile climb. In short, according to Kevin, you wouldn't have
earned it. --Mike, in Lourdes, France.

WHY
WE RIDE #262TRY
THIS WITH A CAR- SCORE ONE MORE ADVENTURE FOR THE BIKE!
It wasn't quite what we expected, as we were heading back from the
coast over Tunitas Creek and came up to a bunch of sawhorses across
the road with "road closed" signs draped across them. This after
climbing about six miles, with just one mile to go! So of course we
go past the barrier and are soon greeted by a huge
tree that had fallen across the road. Getting past wasn't easy; it
took about 5 minutes, but that sure beat not getting past it.

The photo on the right
shows us approaching
the tree, from the west, while the photo on the left shows another
cyclist exiting the other side. Like I said, this is one big tree!

Good thing the Tour of California
wasn't coming through today (5/9/10). --Mike--

WHY WE RIDE #118YOU DON'T HAVE TO PULL OVER
TO ENJOY THE VIEW!I've said it before, I'll say it again.
Life goes by at exactly the right speed on a bike. This is just one
more example, the view from Skyline Blvd (Highway 35), about a mile
south of Sky Londa.

The cars have special scenic overlooks where they can
pull over, turn off the engine, turn off (hopefully) the loud music,
get out of their cars and enjoy the view, thankful that they can get
in their car and drive to a place like this.

But on a bike, it's one continuous sweeping vista
passing by at just the right speed. And it's not just the view
that's spectacular, but also the experience of breathing air that
hasn't been processed by a car's climate control system, and the
sounds and feel of the gentle breezes through the grass and trees.

People travel many
thousands of miles for spectacular views, roads with more bikes than
cars, and the nearly-endless variety of routes that can be built using
nearby roads. You just need to get out there and ride.

WHY WE RIDE #39

ARE YOU READY FOR "WINTER" DAYS LIKE THIS?How easy it is to
forget what a special area for cycling this is. People travel many
thousands of miles for spectacular views, roads with more bikes than
cars, and a near-endless variety of routes that can be built using
nearby roads. This was the view on west-side Old LaHonda this past
November 29th. At the far right you've got someone taking a photo of
the faces carved into the hillside; on the left you have people who
have stopped to admire the view of the coastal mountains and the
Pacific Ocean beyond. All types of bikes too, including inexpensive
hybrids & mountain bikes with kickstands. And my favorite thing in
this picture? Shadows. Any day you can see your shadow is a great
day to ride! What's keeping you from an experience like this?

WE DON'T JUST SELL BIKES

WE EQUIP YOU FOR THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!

Every
ride is an adventure on a bike, some more so than others. This photo
is from a "more so than others" ride my son and I did during the Tour de
France.

It started out like the typical everyday ride
in France. A nice routine; wake up at a reasonable hour, check the
map one more time to make sure the day's plan is going to work, and ride to the nearest bakery for pastries & orange juice. Then
head out from Albertville to Annecy, about 30 miles away, to watch the
individual time trial and see if Lance has got a chance against Contador.

Afterward, we headed back to Albertville
around the opposite side of the lake, catching up to a few pros who were
returning to their team bus (how cool is that?). The weather began to turn nasty (hard
rain but not too cold) but it doesn't matter, the adventure, the thousands
of other cyclists, the different languages spoken (which, if you're a
cyclist, is never an issue)... as they say, it's all good.
Slightly downhill path for many miles, with a mild tailwind.

But you're not expecting to see lions &
tigers & bears! In fact, you first ride right past them, replaying in your
mind what you saw. Yes, right on the bike path, trailers filled with
circus animals. I got maybe 200 meters down the road before putting on the
brakes and telling Kevin we have to go back and check this out.

08/28/09-
SO HOW DID YOUR DAY START?I'll
admit to sometimes being a bit disenchanted with how many hours/week I
have to work, and wonder if I'll ever have a 5-day workweek instead of
6+. It comes with the territory of owning a business. On the other hand,
being able to ride on Tuesday & Thursday mornings, at a time when most
would have to be at work, definitely helps offset that. How do you put a
price on being able, twice a week, no matter what, to ride some of the
most beautiful roads in the world? And that's what I've been able to do,
for 30+ years now. Sure, it might not be good to figure out just how
many thousands of times I've ridden that loop, and yet each time is
different, each time there's something new to be seen.

Part is ritual; Tuesday & Thursday mornings I
get up at precisely 7:05am, get dressed in my cycling clothes and then
check the view from the kitchen window to see if I'll need leg warmers
or a jacket. Make a bottle of Cytomax, unplug the Garmin computer from
the USB port on my workstation, put a few dollar bills, Kaiser card,
driver's license and credit card into a plastic baggie, and then a quick
check of the computer for any emails telling me not to wait for a
regular who can't make it (not that it would matter; at 7:45am on the
dot we leave). At 7:30am I'm on my front porch getting on my shoes,
gloves & helmet and inflating my tires, after a too-quick look to make
sure there are no serious cuts & gashes, and at 7:35 I zero out my two
bike computers (yes, two, I have both a Garmin and a Trek Incite 9i that
has much bigger/easier to read numbers for speed) and head over
Jefferson to the start. Within 30 seconds I have a good read from my
legs, which either feel good or... not. And a couple minutes later I
know if my heart is responding appropriately when I pour on the gas.
That's probably the best indicator of how the ride is going to go. On a
good day, my heart rate ramps up smoothly, almost on demand, as I push
harder on the pedals. Everything in sync. On a not-so-good day, it's
difficult to get the heart rate up, or when you do get it up, it
doesn't want to come back down when you back off on the gas. That's the
ritual.

But the ride up Kings, south on Skyline to
84, down the backside to west-side Old LaHonda, back up to Skyline and
down 84 into Woodside... that's never ritual. Anywhere from 3 to 10
people show up for the ride, and how they feel affects the pacing
and dynamics. And beyond that, even subtle changes in the weather
(temperature, fog, breeze) all combine to make each ride unique. In
fact, one of the ironies is that, the more times you do a ride, the more
likely you will recognize the subtle things that make each ride
different. Heading down 84 towards the coast, for example, you might
have a 3mph tail wind if there's an offshore flow, or a 3mph headwind if
it's a cooling breeze from the coast. 3mph. Not much. Could even be less
than that, and yet it's plain as night & day to the veterans on our
ride.

I've said before that the world goes by at
just the right speed when you're on a bike. And every time I ride,
whether I'm feeling great or not-so-hot, it's still the same. Each ride
a unique experience, each ride something you can look back upon and say,
well, at least I did something worthwhile today. Today, helping
me with yet another unique and wonderful experience, were Billy, Kevin,
Karl, Eric, Steve & Millo.

It's time to ride. Find a way to incorporate
a few rides each week on a regular schedule, and make that ride a
priority in your life. That reliable thing you look forward to, no
matter what. It's always there for you, because you decided
that's the way it's going to be. Don't overdo it. If you can reliably
only get in one ride a week, then come up with a time for that one
reliable ride. Don't pretend that you can ride four days a week and then
end up missing a couple, and soon, most. Because soon you'll have no
time at all for riding because so many things are able to bump it from
your schedule. Like the Nike ad says, Just Do It. And then invite some
others to join you. Extra motivation on those few days where you think
about sleeping in, but then remember that there may be others out there
depending on you to help make their day a little bit better too!

07/26/09-
VENTOUX WAS UNREAL, as
always. What's it like being way up high on a mountain that stands
alone, a mountain where the trees give way to white rock that gives
a false appearance of snow permanently capping it, a mountain that
threatens to collapse under the weight of many hundreds of thousands
of people, more than I've seen even on Alpe d'Huez?

It's got to be
one of the most-unreal experiences imaginable. The sun burns, but
it's cold at the same time. The ride up is one of relentless steep
grade, but when you ride it, you have a choice for how hard, and if
or when to stop. What the races go through boggles the mind.

We planted ourselves almost directly across from the Tom Simpson
memorial, seen in the left side of this photo. On the right we have
the two brothers, Andy & Frank, with Alberto Contador and Lance
Armstrong firmly attached to their rear wheels. This was the last
chance to rearrange the top-3 positions, but nobody cracked. In a
couple days I'll have a chance to get pictures up from the various
days we were there, including the finale in Paris. For now, it's
1:19am, got another early morning tomorrow, time to try and get some
sleep after a shower to get rid of that icky feeling you get from
being around too many people smoking. Yes, in France, people still
smoke.

Oh, I should point out this photo was taken by my son, Kevin, not
me. My pictures were all about the riders, and didn't quite catch
the essence of Ventoux itself. Many cool photos of agonized &
contorted faces & interesting reflections in sunglasses, but no wide
shots showing what the mountain is really like --Mike--

05/17/09- WHY WE RIDE #36- BECAUSE THERE'S A NEW GENERATION TO TEACH
THE JOYS OF CLIMBING!
And today's ride had a lot of "joy" to it. It was time to expand Kevin's
(that's Kevin in the picture) universe to include roads & hills not in his
back yard, so we set off for Scott's Valley and did a 50 mile ride with
about 5700 ft of climbing, including the infamous Alba Road out of Ben
Lomond and Mountain Charlie, a fun, twisty one-lane road the heads up to
Skyline.

This was also the warmest day of the year,
running 91 to 97 degrees (in the shade) for most of the ride. I'm sure many
were sitting at home wishing they had air conditioning, but we were
surprisingly comfortable riding. Yes, we drank a lot, and on the drive over
17 to Scotts Valley, we even hid a cooler, filled with ice & water bottles &
Mountain Dew, at the top of the Mtn Charlie climb.

As we were enjoying our secret stash a couple
other cyclists rode by who were very appreciative of our offer of ice cold
water and Mountain Dew (we'd stashed more than we needed for just
ourselves).

Next time you're planning a challenging ride,
you might consider a strategically-located secret stash yourself. And
definitely include more than you need, so you have something to share with
other cyclists that might come by. --Mike--

IT'S TIME TO RIDE!If you're a Chain Reaction customer (or live close enough to be
one), you know that this is one of the best places on the planet for
cycling. We've got great mountain biking, road biking and family fun
all around us... in many cases, you can leave from your front door!
Check out our past WHY WE RIDE pieces
for inspiration. Then go ride!JOIN THE FUN!
Chain Reaction can supply you with the right bike, properly fit, and
back it up with exceptional service. And Cycle California magazine
has a great page with
links to
the various clubs & rides in the area.

02/24/09-
WHY WE RIDE #37- DON'T MISS A
DAY!The weatherfolk can say what they want about how we need the rain and how
we're in a drought, but truth is, sometimes you just get tired of gray &
drizzle (or even real live rain). And that's what makes days like this so
memorable.

You go to bed not knowing what you're going
to find in the morning, but you're hopeful. The weather report says to
expect a day without rain, the first in several, but followed by... more
rain.

But that's yesterday and tomorrow. This
morning, the sun is shining! The roads are still a bit damp, but the air is
incredibly clear, and the suns rays shining through the the tress is the
stuff of postcards.

It's a ride I do every Tuesday & Thursday
morning, no matter what the weather, and I'm beginning to understand what it
means when they say "Don't miss a day." If it's not the sounds of the noisy
creeks after a heavy rain, or spotting a couple of coyotes, or beautiful
views of the coast, then it's the friends you're riding with. There's
nothing that beats getting out on your bike.

WE
CAME, WE LOBBIED, WE CONQUERED?

March 11-13th the League of American Bicyclists
held its annual National Bike Summit in Washington DC. This is a very big
deal; 550 cycling advocates and industry people (as a bike shop we're
"industry") converging on Congress to make the US a more fun, more convenient and safer
to ride bicycles. We promoted road projects that keep the needs of cyclists
in mind, championed the rights of the cycling commuter, secured funds for
recreational trails and supported programs that encourage kids to ride to
school. Here's a link to
the agenda.

How well we did will be told in the months
ahead. The mood in DC was quite different from years past, and not just
because a new administration is in power. In many of the offices we visited,
they were already up-to-date on our mission and the specific bills which, to
some extent, stole some of our thunder! But that's a lot better than
pretending we don't exist, or don't have to be paid attention to. We're now
a legit force in DC. The mission now is to follow up on the contacts we made
and make sure that good talk and intentions actually amounts to something.

Regarding the question about whether we
"conquered" or not, the visit with Feinstein's office brought us the
nitty-gritty reality of the political world. Her aide explained that they
could support one of our bills ("Clean-T", an effort to promote
alternatives to fossil fuels for energy) if we could get the author of
Clean-T to withdraw a bill on carbon caps & trades that they felt inferior
to their own. That's how it works in a finely-tuned long-running powerful
machine like Feinstein's. But please, don't let that get in the way of
trying to make a difference with a phone call or email or letter to your
representative in Congress. They do listen and you do make a
difference. --Mike--

January 12, 2009, 9pm- The Redwood City council votes unanimously to
create a "Level 2 Complete Streets Advisory Committee" after more than two
years of informal collaboration with a bicycle/pedestrian group. This
wouldn't have happened without the hard work and tenacity of a number of
active volunteers who truly believe that bicycling isn't just the answer for
many problems, but also a way to enhance livability. Spearheaded on the
Council by Barbara Pierce, everyone saw the value in a concept that we've
been pushing at the annual DC Bike Summit for the past four years- Complete
Streets. Roads designed for all users, including the young & the old, rich &
not-so-rich, commuters & shoppers & people getting into shape. Besides the
many cyclists involved, we owe great thanks to our liaison with the City,
Susan Wheeler, who was there to help us understand how to effectively work
with the city and stay on track. More to come on this soon. --Mike--

12/16/08-
WHY WE RIDE #57A couple days ago it was 35 and wet on Skyline. This morning? 34 degrees,
snowing at times, ice & snow on the road. Just another routine
Tuesday/Thursday-morning ride!

The phone call came at 7:09am from Kevin, one
of the regulars for the morning ride. "You're not really riding this
morning, are you?"

Let me see... it is Tuesday, and I ride
on Tuesday mornings. Pretty much no-matter-what. So yes, I told him, I'll be
there. Even if he wasn't. Which, of course, he'd have to be, if I was going
to be there.

So I pile on all the clothing needed to stay
warm (plus four separate lights) and hit the road, a bit slower than normal,
but feeling better than I expected. And when I get to the start of the ride,
there's not only Kevin, but also Chris (who would have been all alone had I
agreed with Kevin to skip the ride).

It started out in a light rain, but as we moved
higher up Kings Mtn, the drops started doing that funny slow-motion dance on
the way down. Still rain, but not rain acting normally. Something that only
a cyclist, riding up the hill at a speed just right to notice such things,
would know about. And then, at the wide clearing about 2/3rds of the way up
the hill, it snowed. Significant, real snow. By the time we got to the top
it had pretty much stopped, but there was plenty enough on the ground and in
the trees to make for a real-life winter wonderland.

Driving up to Skyline in a car, you'd never
notice the subtleties of the transition from rain to snow. You'd have your
windows rolled up, heater cranked, and anxious to get to the top, where
you'd search for some place with enough snow to satisfy your need to build a
snowman. But on a bike, it's all about the journey. Your bike, your
legs,
your mind all working magically together to create an experience you won't
get any other way.

Click
here, or on the photo, to see a Picasa album of photos from this ride.
--Mike--

12/14/08-
WHY WE RIDE #53It's 35 degrees and raining lightly up on Skyline, and we're enjoying it.
We're actually comfortable at a time when most are fleeing the cold for the
comfort of a warm couch with a remote control for switching between football
games.

Of course there are days you check the
weather outside and wonder why you, or anyone else, would want to ride on a
day like this. But really, the trickiest part is timing. That last layer,
the one that allows you to be comfortable out there? The one that
essentially entombs you? Better make sure you made your last trip to the
bathroom beforehand!

Once you get out there, the first thing that
surprises you is that there are quite a few others as well! Next is that
everything just seems a lot cleaner,
fresher than the last time you rode. And then there's the fact that your
bike is actually
working pretty darned well (never mind the theory that one mile in the rain
causes the equivalent wear of 50+ normal miles).

Besides, we're talking 35 degrees
here. Check out the smaller photo, taken
12/22/1998 (10 years ago). That was the coldest-day ever for our
Tuesday/Thursday morning ride, hitting 23 degrees at one point.

So I guess the other reason we ride is for the
stories we can tell people afterward! --Mike--

10/19/08-
WHY WE RIDE #4Because this is not Spain, or Costa Rica, or
France. No flight needed; it's just three hours from home.

If you live in Northern California, you
really ought to get what you're paying for. And there's no better way to do
that than on a bike! Shown here is a spot near Angels Camp, part of a
benefit ride (Mr. Frogs Wild Ride).

Sweeping vistas, very few cars (and those I
came across were very friendly), incredible climbs and thrilling descents.

Sure, each climb doesn't feature a small pub serving up sandwiches & cold
drinks, but the towns aren't too far apart, and the stores have no issues
taking US dollars and US credit cards.

The world really does go by at exactly the right speed on a bike.

09/21/08-
WHY WE RIDE #402 Because someday it will be fun riding
up Tunitas Creek!

Actually, the challenge of Tunitas Creek hasn't just
been getting up it, it's been trying to get a photo that really defines it!
The one here comes close, taken during the Tour for Woodside, an annual
benefit ride for Woodside High School in Redwood City (which just happens to
be the school both Steve and I have kids at).

Shown here is Vince, riding a Trek 2100 that I must have sold
him quite some time ago, at least 12 years. That's the problem with the
bikes we sell. They just last too long.

Tunitas Creek is one of the more-challenging climbs the area
offers, as well as one of the most beautiful and car-free. For Vince, it
came at the 80-mile mark of a 102 mile ride. I had it easy, since I was just
out for a quick 60 miler.

It's no wonder road bikes are so popular here!
--Mike--

08/17/08-
WHY WE RIDE #397 Because we live in one of the
greatest areas in the world for riding!

I've been a "road" biker for 41 years now, beginning
in the way-back days on a 40-pound Schwinn Varsity that, along with a AAA
"Bay and River" map, made me realize that, with a bike, the entire world was
at your disposal. At least it seemed that way.

And now it's my job to get everyone else I can to feel the
same way. Of course, the bikes are a lot better these days, and you've got a
cell phone if you run into trouble. But the roads, they're still there, and
once you head into the hills, they're surprisingly light on traffic. In
fact, we have many roads that likely see far more bike traffic than cars!

Today's ride, up over Old LaHonda, down the other side to San Gregorio, and
then heading up the lightly-traveled Los Lobitos Road and Tunitas Creek,
provided a showcase for such roads, and we saw many of our customers along
the way. Many bikes, few cars, great weather. If this is a cycling paradise,
what is?

If you think you're not in shape for a great ride, think
again. You don't have to be fast to enjoy our local hills, just persistent.
Maybe we don't have a cafe at the top of each climb, like they do in Europe,
but we do have Alice's on Skyline at 84, a great place to stop for lunch
after your first climb up Old LaHonda. So find a friend and head for the
hills. Your first time up, sure, you might want to stop a few times along
the way to catch your breath. Or to admire the views! You will make
it. And you'll wonder why it took you so long to discover our hills.
--Mike--

7/04/08-
WHY WE RIDE #92 Because cycling is one of those things
that doesn't just turn back the clock, but keeps it from turning in the
first place.

The first time I rode this particular stretch of the
coast, just north of Davenport, I was probably 16 years old. It was part of
the "Santa Cruz loop" that you did every chance you could, with various
options that would make it anything from 100-125 miles. They were
challenging, fun rides, big adventures for a teenager. New things to
see, new heights (literally!) to climb.

That was then, this is now. 36 years later, and those same roads are still
out there, and they're still an oasis from civilization & traffic,
relatively unspoiled by the expanding population of the Bay Area.

And you can still do it. Raw strength & youthful enthusiasm has been
replaced by patience & skillful use of resources (knowing how to pace
yourself, making sure you carry enough food & water, you know, the sort of
things you don't pay much attention to when you're 16 and think you're
unstoppable).

6/01/08-
WHY WE RIDE #3 Because local clubs do a
fantastic job putting on organized events like the Sequoia Century!

I've probably ridden the Sequoia Century, in various
incarnations, more times than any other organized ride. Run by the
Western Wheelers, it always
features a challenging course over our local mountains. Even the 100k/62
mile ride will cross the 100ft/mile elevation gain threshold that is
traditionally used to describe a tough ride. And the longer ride, in this
case a 112 mile event? Not for the faint of heart!

But with the great support these rides offer, you'll find you
can take on a much tougher ride than you thought you could, and even have
fun doing it.

The photo shows one of the steeper sections of West Alpine
Road, which climbs from La Honda up to Skyline, ending just across from Page
Mill. Doing it on your own, a climb like this can seem endless. But doing it
with hundreds of other cyclists, of all abilities, and it becomes fun!

And if you are brave enough to try the 112 mile course, you
just might come across a "water stop" at exactly the point you feel most
desperate, stocked with hundreds of Cokes, Mtn Dews, Ice Teas, Sprites...
all kept cold in two big barrels of ice. That's been our contribution to the
ride for the last few years. But that's nothing compared to the efforts of
the 200 volunteers of the Western Wheelers bicycle club who do everything
they can to ensure a safe, fun ride for all.

5/15/08-
THE ROAD IS LONG, WITH MANY A WINDING TURN (Otherwise
known as "WHY WE RIDE, #819)

The song was made popular first by The Hollies and
later Neil Diamond ("He ain't heavy, he's my brother"), and must have been
written about local climbs like Old LaHonda and Kings Mtn (pictured here).

4.34 miles, 1600 feet of climbing for Kings Mtn, and 3.75
miles, 1200 feet of climbing for Old LaHonda, both with countless turns and
switchbacks. It's those turns and switchbacks that make all the difference
in the world, turning a mere physical exercise into something extraordinary
and memorable.

Many people travel to France to experience the famous climbs
of the Tour de France, including the legendary Alpe d'Huez with its numbered
switchbacks. But truthfully, many of the world's greatest climbs are right
here.

What do the climbs of France have to offer that ours don't?
Really just one thing- it seems like every single climb in France has a pub
or cafe at the top. What have we got? Well, there's Alice's at the top of
84... and that hot dog stand at the top of Highway 9. So yes, we're a bit
lacking there. But it's easy enough to plan a ride that could stop at
Alice's, or the incredible bakery in Pescadero.

So start planning to get out into the hills and really
experience the best that cycling has to offer. Old La Honda, Kings Mtn,
Tunitas Creek, Alpine Road (west side), Page Mill, Black Road, Alba,
Felton-Empire, Mt. Hamilton, Mt. Diablo, Bohlman/On Orbit. Just to name a
few.

4/13/2008-
YOU MEET THE NICEST PEOPLE ON A BIKE! (Otherwise
known as "WHY WE RIDE, #742)

Not a whole lot of time to squeeze in a ride in the
morning, before taking your kid to... well, some "kid function." Could be
baseball practice, or a 4H function, whatever. In this case, it's a workout
session at the Velodrome (bicycle racing track) in San Jose.

So you call up a friend the night before (or email these
days; if you're younger than, say, 25, you'd probably text message or IM)
and set up a quick ride. No problem, who wouldn't want to go for a bike
ride?

And what a beautiful day! It felt like the Indian Summer we
never had this year. Everybody was out on the roads, including a whole lot
of our customers, a number of which are seen here as I was waiting for Todd
to show up for our ride. And have you ever noticed that people are almost
never in a bad mood when they're riding? Actually, they're always in
a good mood when riding! It's when they're dealing with a flat tire, which
is technically not riding, that you might find otherwise. But today, even
the guy I saw fixing a flat was in a good mood (and yes, I asked if he was
OK and had everything he needed).

3/23/2008-
WHY WE RIDE, #231

72 degrees, low humidity and great
roads. It doesn't get any better. This is why you live in the Bay Area, and
this is why you ride a bike.

Easter Sunday afternoon, out for a quick spin
before an early dinner. You've got less than 3 hours, so you've got to go
for quality over quantity. With more time, you'd do the Old LaHonda
/Pescadero /Tunitas loop, but with just 3 hours, you go for Old LaHonda
/LaHonda /West Alpine.

It was on the west side of Old LaHonda that I
found someone else admiring the beauty of the day. A young woman stopped by
the side of the road, looking out towards the ocean.
It's a spot I've shown photos of on this website many times before,
usually taken behind the guys I ride with on Tuesday or Thursday mornings.

2/26/2008-
WHY WE RIDE, #92

It might happen right after you leave
your front door, or it might be several hours into a long ride. But there's
almost always some point in a bike ride where everything lines up exactly
right and you feel better about life than anytime during the past week. Or
maybe more.

For me, it's often this stretch of Old LaHonda
road, on the "unknown" west side. Everybody knows the main climb to Skyline,
from Portola Valley. But surprisingly few seem to have gone over the other
side, where it turns into an almost-private one-lane road with just a
handful of houses, more bikes than cars, and million-dollar views of the
coast that, fortunately, aren't reserved for million-dollar houses.

Riding it in the morning is best, when the
shadows are strong and the air is clear. It's a bit nicer heading west than
east, since you'll be climbing at moderate speed and the road's narrow &
twisty nature will be welcome rather than a challenge. But it's enjoyable
either way.

You don't need a fancy road bike to enjoy each
side of Old LaHonda; we see many hybrids and mountain bikes, as well as
riders of all shapes & sizes. If it's your first time to Skyline, you might
ride up Old LaHonda from Portola Valley, then north on Skyline to Sky Londa,
west down 84 a few miles and then make the left turn onto west-side Old
LaHonda and climb back up to Skyline.

This morning my
son was off at camp so I got to do something a bit more challenging- a 62
mile loop through Pescadero and up Tunitas in fast company.

I learned long ago that "riding to eat"
isn't such a good idea, as cycling is generally more efficient than you'd
think, meaning you might still pay the price for doughnuts and other
excesses.

But today's ride, showing an optimistic burn
of 6,330 calories... which, even if you discount by 1/3, is still a pretty
impressive figure for just 4.5 hours of riding... there just aren't
that many things you could do that would burn off even close to that many
calories, and have fun doing it!

So if you're concerned about that
over-indulgent Thanksgiving fest, or just trying to keep from adding girth
as you get older, cycling may be just the answer. At the very least, you can
pay a visit to the Pescadero bakery and grab a pastry (or two!) prior to
riding back over the hill and enjoy it, guilt-free. --Mike--

WHY
WE RIDE #6Because it's cool to snag Tour de
France route signs!

July 27th,
2007. This could be you in July, 2008! Why not? Why not make cycling
part of a big adventure, and visit France during the 'Tour? You've listened
to Phil & Paul & Bob do the coverage for years, and maybe you've even seen
all the RVs that follow the Tour route, with the mandatory TdF route sign in
the window (you can see two of them in our rental car).

Or you can do it on your
own, the complete planes, trains & automobile thing. It's easier than you
might think, even if your command of French is as bad (and limited) as my
own. Which is really really bad, and really really limited! Start thinking
about it now, and I'll try to put up a new resource page shortly which could
help others who might want to do it on their own. And if you've got teenage
kids who are getting into riding, you've got exactly enough time to get them
into shape for such an adventure. If I can do it, you can! --Mike--

10/25/07-
WHY WE RIDE, #3
Because taking a wrong turn can turn can be the best thing that happens to
you that day.

We'd ridden down Native Sons road before (one
of Skyline's dead-end roads on the coast-side); a twisty little one-lane
road that drops close to 1000ft on its way towards the coast. About halfway
down the road is blocked by a large gate, marking the beginning of the
private section that winds its way to the coast through Neil Young's
property.

But today, because of heavy debris on the lower
part of the road, we mistakenly went straight when we should have gone
right, sending us down an even-narrower crazy little half-paved trail that
ended at the ranch you see in the photo.

We never would have found that almost-magical
spot, with its views of the hilltops just barely popping up out of the fog,
had we not missed the turn. It's a whole different world out there, just an
hour away by bike from the congestion and concrete of the city. The only way
you'll ever find a place like this is on a bike (unless you're so dreadfully
lost in your car that you'll be next Tuesday's headline on the 11pm news).
It's funny how taking a wrong turn on your bike, when you're under your own
power, becomes something fun, an exploration, something worthwhile. While
doing the same thing in your car is, at best, a waste of time, and a serious
intrusion on whatever it was you had planned to be doing. Proof that life
really does go by at exactly the right speed when you're on a bike.

IT'S TIME TO RIDE!
If you're a Chain Reaction customer (or live close enough to be
one), you know that this is one of the best places on the planet for
cycling. We've got great mountain biking, road biking and family fun
all around us... in many cases, you can leave from your front door!
JOIN THE FUN!
Chain Reaction can supply you with the right bike, properly fit, and
back it up with exceptional service. And Cycle California magazine
has a great page with
links to
the various club & rides in the area.

10/14/07-
WHY WE RIDE, #927
Because sometimes you want to explore your limits, and do something that
really doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

That's why you ride an event like the
Tour de Menlo. 50 miles, about
5000ft of climbing. And all of it, every single piece of climbing, in
residential areas. Yes, steep roads built for no good reason other than that
the area suddenly becomes extremely expensive real estate once you can get
to it (just check out the views in the photo, up on Melendy Drive in San
Carlos).

The challenging aspect comes
from roads much steeper than would ever be built for everyday traffic, far
more stop signs than you feel like dealing with on a bike, and there's just
not all that much worth looking at (unless your idea of a good time is
cruising around to look at what people have done with their homes, which is
something my mom & dad subjected me to when I was a kid, and it wasn't much
fun then, and it still isn't much fun now).

09/02/07-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #111

Because there's something special to pass on to others.

Probably Dad & Son, enjoying the best cycling has to offer on a beautiful
local road (west-side Old LaHonda).

Maybe you don't have or can't rent a kid to show them how great it is to
ride a bike, but there are a lot of grown ups you might come across that you
can make a difference for. On this particular ride I met up with a young
lady named Sarah at the top of Old LaHonda.

She was heading into the great unknown,
riding out to Pescadero, north to Half Moon Bay and back over the hill.
First time for her, using directions she'd gotten off another website.
Directions only; nothing to tell her what makes this particular route so
special. No notes about the faces carved into the hillside on west-side Old
LaHonda. Or the infamous Machine-gun-toting metal sculptures on Stage Road.
So I rode with her as far as highway 84, showed her the face carvings, and
made sure she knew about the metal sculptures that so many people ride past
without seeing. The sort of things that you're never going to see if not
pointed out to you, and best experienced on a bike.

Next time you come across a cyclist stopped
at a crossroads (common at the top of Old LaHonda), take a moment and ask
where they're going, and if they've been that way before. You'd be surprised
how many first-timers there might be. And you'd also be surprised how many
old-timers who have passed by the machine-gun sculptures and never seen
them!

The cool thing about cycling is that you're moving through at exactly the
right pace to experience the world. You see something in the distance and
have enough time to study it and notice things that would be a blur if you
were wrapped up in a ton of steel and glass traveling 60 miles per hour. And
you're not moving through so slowly that it's boring, either. Bicycling
isn't about sound bytes, nor is it an overly-long epic novel that doesn't,
but often should, be marketed as an alternative to sleep medications. Life
happens at just the right speed when you're out on your bike.

IT'S TIME TO RIDE!
If you're a Chain Reaction customer (or live close enough to be
one), you know that this is one of the best places on the planet for
cycling. We've got great mountain biking, road biking and family fun
all around us... in many cases, you can leave from your front door!
JOIN THE FUN!
Chain Reaction can supply you with the right bike, properly fit, and
back it up with exceptional service. And Cycle California magazine
has a great page with
links to
the various club & rides in the area.

07/29/07-
CHASING THE DREAM!

Against all the oddmakers and conventional wisdom, Discovery (formerly known
as US Postal) came back with a win at the Tour de France, with a young
(24 years old) Spaniard named Alberto Contador showing not only strength in
his riding, but the ability to not crack under the pressure of cycling's
greatest event.

And it wasn't just Contador that had the Discovery team feeling good about
the future. Levi Leipheimer won the final time trial, nearly vaulting past
2nd place Cadel Evans in the overall standings.

For me, it was a fun 10 days away,
catching up with the Tour de France in the Pyrenees and following it back to
Paris. No tour group this time, just myself, my 14-year-old son, two bikes,
trains, planes & automobiles, as they say.

There will be some good stories to tell in the diary section over the next
few days, but first we have to make it home, which means lugging all our
stuff down the street from our hotel tomorrow morning and hoping that the
airport bus has room to take it all. And then hoping that there are no
issues with our flight out (which for some reason United says we can't check
in on-line for and have to see the agent at the airport).

But we've got tons of photos and memories and a feeling that you can
think about doing the impossible (in this case, getting Kevin ready for two
nasty beyond-category mountain climbs) (plus the logistics of hauling around
bikes plus luggage), make plans, and actually do it. And, of course, it
helps that we've got some great people back home at the shop taking care of
things while I'm away. See you soon- --Mike-- (PS: It's 8/4/07;
we made it home in one piece, and even had Tour de France racer Chris Horner
in the seat in front of us on the plane! And with a week post-tour behind
us, it looks like Contador is likely free of any tour-stealing scandal.
Let's hope!

07/23/07-
I ASK YOU, DOES THIS (Rasmussen, the guy in the Yellow Jersey) LOOK LIKE A
TOUR DE FRANCE WINNER? I THINK NOT!
(Written two days prior to Rasmussen being pulled out of the race by his
team, due to ethical issues involving the possibility of evading doping
controls)
Normally this space is set aside for the "Why we
Ride" series, but since this is Tour de France time, and I happen
to be there for it...

Emerging from the fog, at the top of the newest epic Tour de France climb
(the Port du Bales), is the "power group" of contenders, including Rasmussen
(in Yellow) and the Discovery team's Contador (zipping up his white "Best
Young Rider" jersey).

Rasmussen has been frustratingly consistent in the climbs so far, building
up a lead of just over two minutes on Contador, the amazing 24-year-old
Spanish rider on the Discovery team. But that lead is in jeopardy because-

Rasmussen not only cannot shake
Contador on the climbs, but Contador has been mercilessly attacking the
man in Yellow the last couple of days. If Contador can crack
Rasmussen...

Rasmussen's time trialing has improved,
but Contador excels at the discipline, and there's one more long time
trail coming up, this Saturday.

Rasmussen frankly looks a bit wiped
out, mentally. This picture (not taken by me; I was too busy trying to
get fancy stuff and missed the best shots... this one is from my
14-year-old son Kevin, who simply takes pictures of things that he finds
interesting... what a concept!) tells that story in spades, as the
riders come over the top of the penultimate climb in today's stage.

So maybe I'll be eating these words, but
what the heck, a bit of crow now & then should be a part of every balanced
diet! I predict Contador to be in Yellow when the 'Tour finishes this
Sunday. --Mike--

And now, back to our
regularly-scheduled message-IT'S TIME TO RIDE!
If you're a Chain Reaction customer (or live close enough to be one), you
know that this is one of the best places on the planet for cycling. We've
got great mountain biking, road biking and family fun all around us... in
many cases, you can leave from your front door! JOIN THE FUN!
Chain Reaction can supply you with the right bike, properly fit, and back it
up with exceptional service. And Cycle California magazine has a great page
with links to the
various club & rides in the area. We've also put together a page
with past "Why We Ride" episodes.

07/13/07-
40 YEARS LATER, HIS DEATH STILL HAUNTS THE TOUR de FRANCENormally this space is set aside for the "Why we
Ride" series, but I read earlier today that it's been exactly 40 years
since the British cyclist Tommy Simpson died on the slopes of Mont Ventoux,
from a drug overdose.

This year's Tour de France won't be visiting Mont Ventoux (the photo shows
the Simpson Memorial near the top), but it cannot help but be dogged by the
issues first brought to the forefront so many years ago.

It's said that Tommy Simpson's last words, after he fell to the ground, were
"Put me back on my bike!" His death was attributed to a combination of
the high temps and an overdose of amphetamines, and led to the earliest
crude attempts to detect doping by sportsmen.

It's important to remember that doping, and other forms of cheating in
sports, are not limited to cycling. Track & field events have been a hotbed
of illicit means to enhance performance for years! But it's cycling's very
attempts to deal with the problem that draw most of the attention to it. And
it's cycling's quest for the darned near impossible- a 100% clean contest-
that has caused it to utilize questionable methods of detection and a low
standard of "proof" that creates not just a possibility, but the likelihood
of catching the innocent in their carelessly-flung nets. Yes, Floyd Landis
comes to mind.

For now, I'm watching an incredible bike race and not feeling at all guilty
about it. There may, or may not, be cheating going on. I would like to think
that things are pretty clean right now, what with the intense scrutiny the
riders are facing, but I don't really know. It could be that I'll eventually
mirror the naive Dave Stoller's thoughts in the movie Breaking Away
when he said "Everybody cheats. I just didn't know." But I hope not.

05/17/07-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #36

Because moments like this don't exist only in the movies.

You know how, sometimes, you see or experience something and think gee, if
only I had a camera? If you ride a bike, you'll experience that all the
time. And if, like me, you're often carrying a camera with you, you just
might capture that moment.

Of course, a lot of times, whatever it is that makes it so special might not
translate well for others. But every once in a while something comes along
that a movie director might spend huge amounts of time & money trying to
recreate (ok, fake). One of those times was in
2003, at the Tour de France. Another
was on this particular day in May of 2007.

The sun has to be at just the right angle, and the fog or clouds at exactly
the right height to allow the trees to filter the light just so. And if you
happen to be in just that right place, at just that right time, it's not to
be missed. This was that time, and that place.

The cool thing about cycling is that you're moving through at exactly the
right pace to experience the world. You see something in the distance and
have enough time to study it and notice things that would be a blur if you
were wrapped up in a ton of steel and glass traveling 60 miles per hour. And
you're not moving through so slowly that it's boring, either. Bicycling
isn't about sound bytes, nor is it an overly-long epic novel that doesn't,
but often should, be marketed as an alternative to sleep medications. Life
happens at just the right speed when you're out on your bike.

04/22/07-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #12

Because "Bike riding's a GREAT way to see the world!" Bobby Julich, American bike
racer on CSC team

Burt (one of our Redwood City employees), Kevin (my son) and a bunch of
other nice people were out there on Sunday, April 22nd, for the Primavera
Century (100k in our case). Noteworthy was that we were out there at all;
the weather reports had been questionable, to say the least. But it turned
out to be a spectacular day!

And it was riding on Calaveras Road that Kevin turns to me and says "Dad,
it really is a great way to see the world!"
I don't know if that was a turning point, a life-changing experience for
Kevin, but it certainly was a milestone. Kevin was noticing mostly the
birds. Small black birds with bright red "shoulder patches." Vultures
circling overhead. A bunch of very large wild turkeys across a ravine.
Things that he wouldn't see on a "normal" bike-free day. Certainly things he
wouldn't experience sitting in front of a video game!

The cool thing about cycling is that you're moving through at exactly the
right pace to experience the world. You see something in the distance and
have enough time to study it and notice things that would be a blur if you
were wrapped up in a ton of steel and glass traveling 60 miles per hour. And
you're not moving through so slowly that it's boring, either. Bicycling
isn't about sound bytes, nor is it an overly-long epic novel that doesn't,
but often should, be marketed as an alternative to sleep medications. Life
happens at just the right speed when you're out on your bike.

IT'S TIME TO RIDE!
If you're a Chain Reaction customer (or live close enough to be
one), you know that this is one of the best places on the planet for
cycling. We've got great mountain biking, road biking and family fun
all around us... in many cases, you can leave from your front door!
JOIN THE FUN!
Chain Reaction can supply you with the right bike, properly fit, and
back it up with exceptional service. And Cycle California magazine
has a great page with
links to
the various club & rides in the area.

04/15/07-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #91

Because there's ALWAYS a train about to leave the station, heading where
you want to go.

On the upper parts of Old LaHonda I came across a group of four heading in
the same direction. A "train" I gladly latched onto, as it would make the
run to the coast a whole lot easier (since there was a pretty strong
headwind).

And that's what's so cool about riding a bike. You can catch a "train" like
that if you're looking for company, or you can go it alone for that
inwardly-thoughtful experience.

Trains are leaving constantly, and are always populated by nice folk like
Susan, Mitch, Tommy and a guy whose name I forgot (amazing, given how bad I
am with names, I can even remember 3 of the 4). (4/16- Susan just emailed me
to give me his name- Joe) If you find the pace of a
particular train a bit fast, you'll probably come upon one of the
slower-moving freights pretty soon. If you're on a deadline and need a
high-speed express, no problem, it's coming up fast behind!

Popular local "train stations" on the Peninsula would include Roberts Market
in Woodside, the top of Old LaHonda, and San Gregorio General Store (shown
above). The trains run most-frequently on weekends between 9am-noon.

02/11/07-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #35

Because there are cool little "secret places" to show people.

Pescadero is a special place for those who know. There's the incredible
bakery that's worth the visit alone (Arcangeli Grocery Co, in the two-story
brownish building on the right side of the road)... many rides are timed to
hit the town just after it opens.

But there's also the infamous "Machine Gun Man" house, a couple miles south
on Stage Road (en route to San Gregorio).

Best known for its metal sculptures of a man-gun toting man and woman (the
woman can be seen on the right-side of the photo above, in front of a metal
doorway with "WELCOME" below, while the taller, better-known Machine Gun Man
isn't shown but is just to the left of the house). But even if you've seen
it all before, there's still good reason to stop and check the place out.
Today it was a large peacock, staring at its reflection in the 2nd-story
window. One might title this picture "You're So Vain."

02/04/07-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #231

Because you can soar like the birds.

Well, that's not exactly how it feels when you're climbing up West Alpine
towards Skyline. On this particular day, I was pulling a reasonably-hard
pace, trying to get back in time for the SuperBowl commercials (isn't that
what we watch it for?). But I'm noticing this one very large bird, probably
a red-tailed hawk.

And what I'm noticing, as I'm forcing my way up the mountain, is that this
Hawk is just floating in the air. Not a single beat of the wings; this guy's
working the air currents. It was such an amazing thing that I stopped in the
middle of the climb and just watched him, for maybe five minutes. Five
minutes in which he'd float up, swoop down, catch another updraft, circle
around a bit and repeat. Without once flapping his wings.

Sometimes it's nice to be out there on your own, and if you see something
like that Hawk, just stop and watch. The cool thing about riding a bike is
that you'll notice things like that Hawk. Things you'd never spot from a
car, things you'd spend half the day hiking to see, but on a bike, in an
hour or two, you're there. You just get on your bike and go for a ride. You
might not soar like that Hawk, but I can pretty much guarantee your spirits
will be lifted. --Mike--

09/17/06-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #312Because you CAN do it! You may think a ride up to Skyline is
beyond your abilities, but odds are, you're wrong. You can do it. It
may not be easy that first time, and it may not even be fun as you
reach for a lower gear, only to find there are none left.

But there's that feeling you get when the top is finally in sight.
Like the part of King's Mtn when you first see the yellow caution
sign, telling you there's a stop up ahead. That can only mean one
thing- the top! And that's the moment caught here, as Kevin dares to
look up with hope that his hour+ trip up King's Mtn is over.

Don't be fooled into believing that you can't climb because you're
not in shape. A bit of patience can help you accomplish almost
anything, and some of our most-beautiful roads are up into the
hills.

12/07/06-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #213

For beautiful mornings like this!

We've used a variant of this picture a whole lot of times on this website.
It's the west side of Old LaHonda, climbing back towards Skyline. Around
9am, on a Thursday morning, part of our regular Tuesday/Thursday-morning
ride you may have read too much about in the
almost-daily diary.

As we were riding, admiring the crystal-clear view of the coast, with not a
cloud in sight, we're asking ourselves, "How can it possibly rain soon?" It
will rain, of course, and we'll probably whine about it, but we also know
that, even in the middle of winter, there will be plenty of mornings just
like the one in this photo.

12/17/06-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #622

Because you can look like this and not be mistaken for someone about to
rob a bank!

No matter how cold it gets, we have to remember this is California,
and while it seems cold to us (39 degrees at Sky L'Onda on this particular
morning), there's a whole world out there that would see it as a mild
winter's day; an excuse to get out of the house and do something (although
it's too warm for ice fishing).

We can dress pretty easily for a 39 degree outing, and maybe not even look
as extreme as what's seen here. It's certainly not an excuse to stay home!
If anything, it's an invitation. An invitation to see things in a different
light (literally, as the low angle of the sun at this time of year makes for
spectacular views). An invitation to avoid those extra pounds that seem to
go along with the holidays. And sure, an invitation to feel a bit, well,
superior to those driving past in their climate-controlled cars, completely
disconnected from our world by layers of steel & glass & sound.

01/09/07-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #4

Because YOU make the day.

It wasn't supposed to snow on October 10th. Or rain. Or even be cold. There
wasn't supposed to be ice on my water bottle. It was supposed to be a nice
weekend.

And that's just the thing. It was a nice weekend.

A great weekend even. Because I was on my bike, and when I'm on my bike, I
feel like I'm in control. Of everything.

I never considered that either my bike or I
wouldn't be up to what lay ahead. As they said in Apollo 13, failure wasn't
an option. Instead, we (my bike & I) had a darned good time. I found out
that Bontrager carbon rims & cork pads worked great in snow & slushy
conditions. I found out that even the most absurd of weather conditions
didn't have to ruin my day. And I got revenge on Sonora Pass for that day in
June, 2001, when a freak snowstorm required that a group of us got hauled
off the top in a van instead of finishing the ride.

Winter's here, and many will be hanging their bikes up until the skies clear
and temperatures rise. But why? Even if you avoid riding in the rain (which
some thing a sensible thing to do), there will be many more dry days than
rainy. Cycling in the SF Bay Area is something you can do even in the
winter. Those crisp mornings when the air is so clear you can see from
Skyline all the way to Hawaii. The scenic roads that you avoid in the summer
because of the traffic, but are lightly traveled now.

01/28/07-
WHY WE RIDE, EPISODE #67

Because it's all right here.

Obviously, "epic" is in the eye of the beholder, and something that can be
climbed in just a few minutes (vs half a day)... well, let's just call it an
introduction to something grand.

Today's introduction is a little-known extension of the famous "loop" ride
in Portola Valley. Only instead of staying on Alpine road as you're heading
south past the Windy Hill parking lot, you make a right turn at the
Sequoia's Rest Home (perhaps symbolic, since you're riding so you can put
off your residency there for as long as possible). Willowbrook runs through
a quiet residential neighborhood until it joins up with the "unknown"
section of Alpine Road, where you make a right turn and and start a
beautiful, gradual climb on a well-maintained 1-lane road alongside a
pleasant creek. Almost exactly 2 miles of this and then it hits you.

Boom. You come to signs telling you that Alpine road ends just ahead (it
actually continues as a dirt trail all the way to Skyline), and, to the
right, Joaquim Road. Known affectionately as "Walking Joaquim" for obvious
reasons. It's darned short to be considered sucha trouble-maker; a mere
quarter mile or so. But that quarter miles pitches up towards 17%, and is
one of those rare roads that you can look back at and say yep, that even
looks steep. Top it off (so to speak) with a false summit, and you've
got the makings for one of those "Yeah, I worked hard getting to the top of
that one" hills! The bonus is found on the descent back towards the
"regular" section of Alpine Road, which features a spot where you can easily
hit 50mph if you're so inclined.

3/15-
LOBBYING FOR BIKES IN WASHINGTON DC!
The interests of the cyclist are not
forgotten in DC, thanks to the hard work of many unbelievably-dedicated
cycling advocates, who descend upon Washington once a year for the annual
National Bike Summit. This year over 400 people spent 4 days of their time
and a fair amount of money to come out an lobby every single Congressperson
and Representative on the Hill. California was well-represented, with over
50 attendees!

The cynic would say it doesn't matter, but the truth is, much has changed,
for the better, over the past 4 years. General info may be found on the
League of American Bicyclist website, but in general, we're working to
get commuter credits for bikes just like car-poolers enjoy, continued
funding of Safe Routes to Schools (a really phenomenal program to try and
get kids to ride or walk to school rather than be driven) and a pilot
program to determine how much gas can be conserved by shifting some car
trips to bikes. We're also continuing to push for "Complete Streets" which
basically means that, when a new road is built or an existing road
modernized, the needs of the cyclists are taken into consideration.

It's not as sexy as telling the story about the latest carbon fiber Treks,
but if we don't have the great roads to ride, or raise a new generation that
doesn't know what it means to be outdoors and enjoy the benefits of
exercise, well, frankly, shops like Chain Reaction Bicycles would cease to
exist. So my apologies (both to our customers and staff) if things got a bit
bogged down at the store in the middle of March, but if this event has made
a natural cynic like me a believer, there just might be something to it.
--Mike--

10/21/04- WHY WE RIDE.
What can you add that's not in the picture? Beautiful clear morning
on Old LaHonda (west side), friendly company (Kevin, Andrea & Ueyn)
and a road to yourself. That's cycling on the SF Peninsula, a
virtual paradise for road cycling (and if you don't have a nice road
bike, we just might be able to help with that). Don't hit the snooze
button, go ride!

'TOUR
CHAOS CAME TO CALIFORNIA!
If you assumed that we'd never have an event like the Tour de France
here in California, with the best racers in the world going at it on
leg-breaking courses, with thousands of fans coming from miles
around to line the hillsides, well, it's possible you're wrong.

Sunday 5/23, The Amgen Tour of
California concluded its 5th run through the state, this time moving
to a supposedly weather-friendly date in May (it was in February
through last year). Of course, this being California 2010, the cold
& wet weather that would seem normal in February followed it to its
new May dates for a couple of stages in Northern California,
including the one in our backyard up Tunitas Creek!

Organized chaos? The event's
promoters do a lot to organize things, but check out the action in
this photo, taken on the big climb on the final stage. Someone
costumed in a goofy-looking water bottle (we sell "CLEANBOTTLE" by
the way!) the "Pope" running alongside, the race leader (Mick
Rogers) looking a bit distressed at the front as he tries to fend
off attack after attack from the other riders in the lead group,
some of whom are mere seconds behind him in the overall time
classification that determines the winner.

The race was not without its controversy, as Floyd Landis, the
defrocked (disqualified for doping) winner of the 2006 Tour de
France chose to use the Tour of California as a backdrop for
allegations about doping by Lance Armstrong (and many others), and
the disappointment to many fans when Lance crashed out of the race
after just a few days. And then there was the TV coverage, with VS
not showing the all-important Time Trial stage live, and cutting
away to a hockey pre-game show just before the finish of the stage
that ended in Santa Cruz! Please consider sending your comments to them
here.

But overall this race has become bigger
and better each year, and has even convinced some shop owners to
travel around the state to watch it, riding all or parts of the
course ahead of time and marveling at the strength of the riders and
the appeal to spectators. --Mike--

27
YEARS AGO, FEBRUARY 1, 1980, this is what Chain Reaction
Bicycles looked like. Our first day of business ended with $300 in
the register (one of those cool antique-ish things). We started with
Mongoose BMX and Shogun road bikes, later adding Centurion, which
became Diamondback. We were turned down at our first attempt to
carry Trek, told by a rather smug salesman that we weren't what they
were looking for. We've obviously proved that guy wrong over the
years, as we've sold more OCLV Carbon Trek bikes than any other
dealer in the US!

Back then I stored boxed bikes in my garage and built several at
home each night. And when we needed more room, we knocked out a wall
and took over the space next door. And when that wasn't enough, we
took over the apartments upstairs, literally storing bicycles in
bathtubs!

But one thing hasn't changed. 27 years and Chain Reaction Bicycles
is still one of the few shops where you can walk in anytime we're
open and the owners are there, virtually every day. Mike in Redwood
City, Steve in our Los Altos store. And that means a lot of other
things haven't changed either. Like our dedication to making sure
you enjoy the bike you bought from us, for a very long time. You
don't have to worry about coming in with something not quite right
on your bike and finding no familiar faces, nobody who cares. We've
assembled a great staff, wonderful lines of bikes & accessories, and
earned a few awards along the way (recently voted CitySports best
bay area bike shop by their readers). And we'll probably be around
when the next generation in your family needs bikes too. Thanks for
helping us make a living doing something we really enjoy.
--Mike--